Business.govt.nz

Exporters: Get a big tick for your products

Products grown, made or designed in New Zealand are in demand worldwide. A FernMark Licence is the government-registered trade mark that shows customers around the world that yours is a Kiwi product and they can buy it with confidence.

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Customers around the globe want to know that premium products are safe and authentic. Research has shown that overseas consumers are drawn to products from New Zealand, and believe these products will be cleaner, purer, and held to higher standards than those produced in many other countries.

You can tap into these beliefs — and leverage the power of Brand NZ — by applying to get the Government’s FernMark tick of approval on all of your export products.

To be eligible, your business must be:

exporting for at least 12 months

GST registered in New Zealand

largely Kiwi-owned, with a substantial level of New Zealand governance

Country of origin

Each product to be licensed must meet minimum requirements of being made, grown, or designed in New Zealand.

It’s a trade mark that gives instant country-of-origin recognition, and shows customers that you, the producer, embody New Zealand values of kaitiaki (guardianship of the environment), integrity and ingenuity.

You can display this trade mark and your licensee number on approved export products.

Customers can use this number — or the optional QR code — to look up your business and find out more about its products on the FernMark Licence Programme website.

Case study

Adding the FernMark on your products

Zealong — a successful FernMark licensee — now prints the FernMark on all its packaging, giving customers the ability to trace Zealong tea back to New Zealand.

"We applied because we wanted a symbol that represents what it means to be New Zealand made,” says Kong.

“Using the FernMark is another way we can build credibility. I believe the fern in general has instant recognition to New Zealand. But the FernMark is more of a government approval and that’s useful for us, particularly when exporting in Asia.”